Why Northside?
At Northside Elevator, you will join an evolving organization rooted in agriculture, relationships, and long-term thinking. This role is more than a transactional merchandising role — it is an opportunity to directly influence grain margin performance, market strategy, customer relationships, and business growth within a diversified agribusiness. We are looking for someone who wants ownership, values operational execution, and is motivated by making a visible impact in a family-owned organization.
Role Overview
The Grain Merchandiser is responsible for owning grain margin, market position, and risk management execution across corn, soybeans, and other commodities. This role owns the grain merchandising profit and loss (P&L) and is accountable for basis strategy, hedge execution, market positioning, and margin per bushel performance. This role will be measured against profitability, market execution, customer growth, asset utilization, logistics management, risk control, and financial discipline. The ideal candidate combines strong market knowledge, commercial decision-making, relationship management, customer origination and operational coordination to maximize profitability while managing risk.
We offer competitive compensation based on experience, health, health savings account, dental (with vision and orthodontia benefits), supplemental insurance, profit sharing and retirement, paid time off, workplace wellness, and apparel.
Key Responsibilities
P&L Ownership & Financial Accountability
- Own profitability of assigned grain merchandising programs.
- Manage and monitor:
- Gross margin per bushel
- Basis gains/losses
- Freight economics
- Inventory carrying costs
- Shrink exposure
- Develop and manage annual merchandising budgets and forecasts.
- Analyze financial performance and recommend corrective actions.
Grain Origination & Producer Relationships
- Build and maintain strong relationships with producers, commercial grain accounts, feed and dairy customers.
- Originate grain through cash bids, forward contracts, and marketing programs.
- Develop producer marketing strategies and contracting opportunities.
- Ensure supply for feed mill demand and commercial programs.
Market Position & Risk Management
- Own daily grain position.
- Execute hedging strategy.
- Monitor exposure by commodity.
Margin Management
- Own gross profit per bushel.
- Capture basis and spread opportunities.
- Deliver target improvement per bushel.
Logistics & Inventory
- Manage grain ownership and storage positions.
- Coordinate inventory movement with operations and logistics teams.
- Balance storage utilization, carry opportunities, cash flow requirements and risk exposure.
- Optimize freight and movement economics.
- Ensure timely execution of grain shipments and customer deliveries.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead and develop team members.
- Establish and train employees on clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards.
- Foster a collaborative, team-oriented culture focused on communication, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Reporting & Accountability
- Produce daily, weekly, and monthly reports.
Job Requirements
Experience
- 3-10+ years of experience in grain merchandising or trading.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong understanding of commodity markets, futures, basis, and hedging.
- Understanding of logistics, including rail, and feed integration experience, including quality specifications.
- Risk management discipline.
- Continuous improvement mindset, systems thinking, and area ownership.
- ERP system familiarity.
- Technical proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
- Excellent analytical, relationship-building, and negotiating skills.
- Operational communication and cross-functional coordination.
- Accountability and integrity.
Work Environment
- Extended hours during harvest or peak trading season.
- This role is typically office-based (Loyal, WI) with flexibility to work remotely on a limited, as-needed basis.